Gabe Gabriel

Number 38, September 22, 2015

Robert “Gabe” Gabriel ’17 is a coach at heart. As he works towards his B.S. in mathematics for secondary education, he also works as Student Recreation Specialist-Club Sports and Intramurals in Student Activities on campus and coaches soccer for Golden Isles United on Jekyll Island, a club team for boys ages 10 and 11 from across southeast Georgia.

He’d like to play club soccer for Coastal Georgia and is hopeful it will kick off this fall. “If anyone is interested, they should contact me at clubsports@ccga.edu.”

Both of his parents are teachers and his father, Rob Gabriel, coaches soccer at Camden County High School and football at St. Mary’s Middle School.

“I really like coaching,” Gabriel said. “You can see the kids learn and improve – and they have fun and appreciate what you’re doing. It can be nerve wracking sometimes – parents and kids, a little bit of both.”

Gabriel grew up in Woodbine, graduating from high school in 2010. He went to Carson-Newman University in Jefferson, Tennessee to play football but after his freshman year, he returned to Georgia. “I realized in-state tuition in the University System of Georgia was a better deal, so I transferred to Georgia Southern to major in engineering.”

When he decided to switch his major to education, he realized he would have to get a master’s degree to accomplish his goals. So after two and a half years at GSU, he transferred again.

“I came back to home territory. And at least this time I could transfer my credits, since I was remaining in the USG,” he explained. He started at Coastal Georgia in spring 2014. “I’m good at math and I want to coach soccer and football. Coastal is less expensive than Georgia Southern. I can get a good education without big debt.”

He added, “I’ve made new friends here on campus, but I’ve also been able to remain in touch with my high school friends. It’s a good fit – a good place to be for me.” His enthusiasm influenced his brother, Grant, who transferred to CCGA this fall from the University of West Georgia in Carrollton.

Gabriel would like to teach and coach in Camden County. “A little father-son rivalry is always a possibility,” he laughed.